Complications
by Shorttie
Summary: A story about Aria and Ezra's relationship. The girls are done with "A", but how will Aria and Ezra find life without the constant threat of exposure from A? They still haven't told people about them...
1. Saturdays

**Author Note: This is my first fanfiction, and I really hope you like it! It's just a random idea, but I quite like how it's turned out so far. Please review!  
>Also, I'd like to apologize to hollywood51496, for taking down my story after you subscribed, and to anyone else who read it the first time; I found a mistake in it!<strong>

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><p>Aria's POV<p>

I walked down the hall to apartment 3B, whistling softly to myself. The cheerful tune reflected my mood; Ezra and I were going to have a day in together watching movies and enjoying each other's company. I bent down and retrieved the key from under his mat, and after a brief glance down the hall to make sure no-one was around, let myself in. As the door opened, I breathed in the familiar smell of my second home; old books mixed with the cologne I had bought him, and the faint smell of whatever he had made for his dinner last night. I scanned the room and found Ezra sitting on the sofa with a book in his hand. He turned when he heard me, and that adorable, boyish grin of his spread over his face. My breath caught in my throat and my heart began to race. I couldn't help it; it was my automatic reaction whenever I saw him. He was just so beautiful. I felt a smile spread across my face in response. He was only wearing his blue pyjama bottoms, without a top. The sight made my face flush slightly.  
>Ezra checked the page number on his book and set it down beside him. Then he stood up and walked over to me. Wordlessly, he cupped my face tenderly in his hand and leaned towards me. Our lips found each other as I simultaneously set down the coffees I was holding and kicked the door closed behind me. He pressed his mouth down hungrily on mine and our breathing sped. As I pressed myself as close to him as was physically possible, he swept me up into his arms and carried me to the sofa, where he sat down with me on top of him. All the while, we never once broke eye contact. Eventually, we broke apart for air. He grinned at me.<br>"So, what do you want to do today, my love?" He asked, mock seriously. "We could stay in the apartment, stay in the apartment or, how about we stay in the apartment?"  
>I laughed, "Oh, hard choice! I think I'll have to go for 'stay in the apartment'."<br>"Sounds perfect," he told me. Then he slowly leaned in for another kiss.

Two hours later, we were halfway through the second movie, but neither of us really knew what it was about; we were so occupied with each other. The thing about having to keep our relationship a secret is that whenever we get alone time, we spend the majority of it with our lips locked together. Today was typical of most of our Saturdays; rolling around on the sofa kissing while making occasional small talk. The coffees lay untouched and stone-cold on the counter, but we didn't mind. As long as we were together, that was the key issue. My parents were at home oblivious, thinking I was at the library studying with the girls. Although it was a huge relief to be done with "A" and the constant threat of exposure, it was still wearing to always have to lie about mine and Ezra's relationship. However, it was worth it. I genuinely couldn't imagine life without him.  
>Ezra pulled away. "Bathroom break," he told me, and I unwillingly let him go.<br>I watched him walk to the bedroom which led to the bathroom, my eyes fixed on his bare back and tousled hair. He was so beautiful, and after a year and a half, I still couldn't believe that he was mine. I couldn't help myself from grinning at that knowledge as I got up neatened up the sofa and tided the place up a little. The window was open, and the fresh air filtered through the apartment, filling it with the sweet smell of freshly mowed lawn. I reached for my cell phone and scrolled through my music, eventually finding the song I was looking for. "Happiness" by The Fray played softly, the sound echoing around the small space, and I smiled to myself. This was our song; the song that Ezra had chosen off the jukebox, which was playing when we first met. It had started us talking, brought us together really. It had gone from being a song I liked to my all time favourite, and the sound of it made me want to burst with happiness. I sang along, engrossed in my chores, unaware that Ezra had emerged from the bathroom. I turned and saw him standing in the bedroom door, watching me with a look of awe on his face.  
>"God Aria, your voice is so beautiful," he praised me.<br>I blushed. "Thank you," I told him sincerely.  
>We stood facing each other, each just marvelling at the other, until I walked towards him and leaned in for a hug. He held me tightly and I breathed in his scent. He took one of my hands in his, and wrapped his other arm around my waist. I rested my head against his bare chest, and we swayed slowly to the music. He twirled me round, and my bracelets clanked against each other on my arm. We resumed our first position, and moved slowly round the apartment, still swaying in time with the song.<br>Ezra leaned down and his breath tickled my ear. "I love you Aria," he whispered.  
>Words couldn't describe how strong my feelings for him were, so I simply looked and told him, "I love you."<br>"Happiness" came to an end, and there was a brief pause before the next song came on. The music player was on shuffle, so I didn't know what song would come on next. As the chords of "More of You" filled the room, I grinned. Ezra looked back at me with the same expression, and I could tell that the mood had changed. This was the song that had been playing in the bathroom, the first time we kissed, in the bar. As if he could read my mind, Ezra swept me of my feet and set me on the kitchen counter. He looked into my eyes as he put his hands around my face and pulled me to him for a kiss. I put my hands behind his head and pulled him close to me, kissing him passionately. He moaned and kissed my jaw, then gradually moved down to my neck and my shoulder. I shivered with the thrill, then tilted his face back up to mine as we leant in once more.


	2. Spending the Night

**Author Note: Thank you so much for your reviews in the first chapter; you have no idea how much each one of them means! It's so encouraging! And thankyou to every single person who read it too. So here's the next chapter, I really hope you like it. There'll be more to follow!  
>Notinyourlifetimehoney: "More of you" is by MoZella:)<br>xo**

Aria's P.O.V

I carried the two plates from the kitchen counter to the sofa where Ezra sat, handing one to him with a flourish.  
>"For you, Professor Fitz," I told him, planting a kiss on his cheek.<br>He looked at the plate appreciatively.  
>"Something smells good!" he approved.<br>I was filled with pride. I had worked hard making the fettuccini for us, and his compliment made it worthwhile. I leaned against him as we tucked in, and even I had to admit that it tasted good. My cooking skills had definitely improved throughout our relationship.  
>The dim room was lit by the soft glow of candles and tea lights that Ezra had decorated the small living space with. They were vanilla and lavender scented- my favourites, and the smell relaxed me. A small fire crackled in the hearth, setting a romantic mood, and the room was cosy and warm.<br>"I could get used to you cooking for me every night," he told me. "It's certainly a lot healthier than my usual pot-noodles or ready meals!"  
>I giggled, "You know I'd be happy to."<br>Suddenly, the reality of what I had just said hit me. Me cooking for him every night, welcoming him home from work with a kiss, talking about our days, and eventually climbing into bed together. And I realised; this was what I wanted. I wanted to be with him forever, for better or for worse. To live together and have children, and eventually grow old together. The picture of my future laid out before me over-whelmed me. I looked at Ezra, and to him nothing had changed, but in that instant, it all seemed so simple. He was all I needed to be happy, and I wanted him so much that it hurt.  
>"Everything all right, my love?" he asked, as he glanced at me.<br>Unable to speak, I just nodded at him. He gave me a concerned look, but I nodded again and he turned back to his food.  
>"Will your mum not be wondering where you are, my sweet?" he wondered.<br>The moment had passed and I found my voice again.  
>"I told her I was staying with the girls at Hanna's tonight, so it's not a problem," I replied happily.<br>"So you can stay as late as you want?" he grinned.  
>I just smiled playfully as I turned back to my dinner.<p>

The sound of our laughter echoed through apartment 3B as Ezra and I covered each other with soap bubbles. The mundane task of washing up after dinner was never quite so boring with Ezra around, and it had quickly turned into a playful water fight. I gasped as he splashed me with a handful of water and bubbles and spun to grab a glass, which I filled with water and emptied over his head.  
>"Aria Rose Montgomery!" he exclaimed. "You are going to pay for that!"<br>He lunged at me and picked me up in his arms. Water dripped off us as Ezra carried me to the sofa and set me down, where he bent over me with a playful menacing expression on his angelic face. He reached towards me and began tickling me on my stomach; he knew exactly where my ticklish spots were. I doubled over laughing hysterically, and he joined in, the sound of our laughter musical- his alto contrasting with my soprano. This gave me a quiet satisfaction; we went together in more ways than one. I gasped for breath and raised my hands in surrender, and he finally stopped. Still leaning over me, he moved forward and kissed me fiercely, our lips moving together. I noticed him staring at my chest, and glanced down to see that the water had turned my shirt see-through. I felt my face flush, and when he realised I'd caught him staring, he quickly looked away guiltily.  
>Our breathing sped as he lay beside me, and I twisted to lie on top of him. My hands tangled in his hair and he grasped the tops of my arms, and slowly started moving down. His hands reached the small of my back, then moved up to my bra strap. I hesitated, and he paused with, as if realising what he had done. Although we kissed constantly, we had never done more than that; but I suddenly realised that I wanted it. I wanted to give myself to him in every way possible, and after being with him for a year and a half, I felt comfortable enough with him that this felt right.<br>I slid my hands to the waistband of his jeans, and he froze. He took my hands in his and pulled them away, but I resisted.  
>"Aria…" Ezra mumbled in a pained voice.<br>"Ezra, we can do this," I whispered.  
>"It isn't right Aria," he said unwillingly. "We still haven't even told people about us."<br>"But it is right!" I exclaimed. "It doesn't matter what other people know or don't know, we're the only ones who matter!"  
>"You know that's not true Aria," he told me. "I truly, truly wish we were the only ones who mattered, but I was your teacher when this started for goodness' sake!"<br>I felt myself getting annoyed. "When we're together, are you thinking of what is and isn't right? Are you worrying about other people?" I demanded.  
>"Of course not," he said in a softer tone, trying to reassure me.<br>"Well then why does it matter now?" I burst out. "And don't start with all that 'teacher' nonsense again Ezra, I thought you started at Hollis to get away from that."  
>He didn't respond, and the silence was louder than a thousand words.<br>"Ezra?" I asked quietly, looking at the ground. "Don't you want to be with me?"  
>"No Aria! No, I mean yes!" he stammered. "Aria, look at me."<br>I looked up and met his eyes, and the genuine sincerity of them told me that his words were the truth.  
>"Aria, what we have is the most real and honest thing in my life. Our relationship means the whole world, no, the whole universe to me. It's for that reason that I don't want to do this now. Well, that and the fact that people don't know about us. Trust me Aria, I would gladly make love to you right now, but I feel like we're right for each other, and if we're going to stay together, why rush into things? And think about it, when we tell your parents, and they start asking questions, do you really want to have to lie to them about how far we've gone? Why not wait?"<br>I could see that he had a point, but I didn't want to admit it. As much as I agreed with what he was saying, I was still adamant that it _was _okay for us.  
>"Because I love you."<br>He groaned, and I could see he was as torn as I was.  
>"Aria, don't make me be the responsible one here! You know what I'm saying is right," he begged.<br>"But you know what I'm saying is right too!" I retorted.  
>We were sitting side-by-side now, and I leaned and kissed him gently on the lips. He kissed me back and the only sound for a few minutes was that of our mouths moving together. Ezra suddenly pulled away.<br>"Do you really think this is okay?" he asked me, suddenly very serious.  
>My heart leapt. "I know it is"<br>"If you change your mind for one second Aria, you have to let me know" he commanded.  
>"Of course," I assured him. "But, what changed your mind?" I asked in confusion.<br>"You were right," he told me. "We love each other and that's all that matters. And you're old enough to know what you want."  
>I smiled, "I want you."<p>

He picked me up carefully in his arms and carried me to his bedroom. It was dimly lit; three small candles were the only light source. Slowly, keeping his eyes locked with mine, Ezra reached out and brought my shirt over my head, revealing a lacy blue polka-dot bra. His hands were trembling as he cupped my face in his hand and kissed me softly.  
>"Relax," I whispered.<br>He smiled at me, and pulled off his own shirt. My eyes fixed on his toned, muscular chest. I stepped forward and once again grasped the waist-band of his jeans, and this time he didn't resist. They slid down to the floor, and in turn he removed my shorts. He locked me in a tight embrace and kissed me neck.  
>"I love you Ezra," I told him.<br>"My heart is yours, my love," he returned.  
>He broke away and reached to the small set of drawers beside his bed. He opened the top one and felt around inside, then brought out a small foil packet.<br>"We're going to do this responsibly," he said.  
>I could still sense his nerves, so I nodded and stepped forward to hug him, and I felt him relax slightly in my arms. Then he scooped me up and carried me over to his bed, where we lay down together in a tangle of sheets and legs, kissing and fondling…<p> 


	3. The Morning After

**Author Note: Sorry for the serious delay in uploading, I've been having awful writers block! This probably isn't a great chapter but hopefully I'll write some better stuff soon to make up for it! Thanks for reviews + I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 3

Aria's POV

I woke up in Ezra's arms, to see the sun streaming through his bedroom blinds. I peeked up through my eyelashes to meet his beautiful, deep blue eyes, surprised that there was no trace of anger, only the same joy I was feeling. He grinned down at me and kissed me on the nose.  
>"Morning sweetheart," he smiled. "How was your night?"<br>Last night had been the best night of my life. The feeling of being with him was indescribable; even better than I imagined, and after he had gotten over his initial feeling that what we were doing wasn't right, I could tell he felt the same. Still, I couldn't help but think that he would be a little bit annoyed with me for making him have to choose what to do.  
>"Aren't you mad?" I asked quietly, dropping my eyes so I wasn't meeting his gaze.<br>I was met by a silence that worried me.  
>"Ezra? Say something Ezra." I pleaded.<br>I felt him place a careful hand under my chin, and tilt my head up towards him. Slowly, I met his eyes.  
>"Aria, why would you say that?" he asked incredulously. "What would make you think that last night wasn't the best night of my whole entire life?"<br>"But didn't you think that we should wait?" I persisted. "What with the fact that we haven't told m-"  
>He cut me off.<br>"Oh Aria, of course I think it's the more responsible thing to do to tell people, but it doesn't mean I don't want to be with you. It doesn't mean I love you any less," he told me sincerely.  
>I breathed a sigh of relief.<br>"Well in that case, it was the best night I've ever had. How was yours?"  
>"Awesome. I can't put it into words. But I can show you," he grinned.<br>Leaning over me he kissed me fiercely, and I pushed myself against him. His breathing sped and his mouth opened as I pushed my tongue inside. Ezra rolled over to lie on top of me and my hands caught handfuls of his dark, curly hair. I threw my leg over him, kissing him passionately. He tried to pull back, but I grabbed his head and pulled him back down to my mouth.  
>"Ar- Aria," he mumbled.<br>"Shhhh."  
>He finally broke away from me.<br>"What?" I pouted.  
>"Sorry baby," he apologized. "What time are your parents expecting you home?"<br>"They're not," I said.  
>"Oh really?" he asked sceptically.<br>"Er, yes?" I tried.  
>He raised an eyebrow at me.<br>"Fine!" I huffed. "Half eleven."  
>He chuckled, and we both looked at the clock, which said it was a quarter past ten.<br>"Well then, how about some breakfast?" he asked me.  
>I pouted at him and he laughed. God, I love the sound of his musical laugh.<br>"Five more minutes?" I begged, sounding like a three-year-old.  
>"Five more minutes," he agreed.<br>We spent the next five minutes in silence; the only sounds were our breathing, coming in quick gasps, our lips moving together, and low moans. Eventually, he pulled away and I knew our five minutes were up.  
>"I'm so lucky to have fallen in love with you, Aria," he told me sincerely.<br>"I love you more than my own life, Ezra," I replied, and gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek.  
>He got out of the bed and I couldn't help but stare at his naked body. He was perfect; his abs beautifully sculpted, and his muscles rippled slightly as he started to get dressed. I sighed and dragged myself out from under the covers, and walked over to him slowly. He turned round and saw me, and his eyes widened, his breath catching slightly in his throat. I grinned at him, and he smiled back looking like a kid on Christmas morning. He cupped my right breast in his hand and took my face in his other hand. He leaned forward and kissed me, moving from my lips to my jaw, my neck, my shoulder, and my breast. I shivered at his touch, it felt like there was electric coursing through my veins. I moaned slightly as he came back up to my lips, and kissed him hard. He laughed softly and pulled away, putting on his shirt.<br>"Don't worry my love, we'll have plenty more occasions for this," he smiled.  
>"I'm counting on it," I told him. "Do you think I would have let you get out of bed if I hadn't known that?"<p>

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><p>The radio played quietly in the corner, the sound of the pan sizzling and the smell of chocolate-chip pancakes adding to the perfectness of the morning. I sat on the armchair watching as Ezra flipped a perfect pancake onto a plate. He turned the hob off and carried two plates over to where I sat, squishing up onto the chair beside me.<br>"For you," he said, handing me a plate.  
>"I must say, I'm impressed," I told him.<br>"And why's that?" he enquired.  
>"To be honest, I didn't think your cooking skills were quite up to scratch," I teased him.<br>"I may have been practising," he admitted with a laugh.  
>"Why?" I asked.<br>"Well, I didn't have any reason to be good at cooking before, but I've got to keep up with you, don't I? You can't be in charge of all the cooking when we live together," he explained.  
>"Are we really? Going to live together, that is," I asked, my pulse quickening slightly.<br>"I don't see why not, darling," he said.  
>I leaned against his shoulder, perfectly content. I wished I could just freeze the picture; life truly was perfect, but surely it couldn't last. No-one was allowed this much happiness without a price. I tried not to dwell on that, and turned my attention to the pancakes.<br>"These are good!" I complimented.  
>"I'm flattered, that's high praise coming from a chef as skilled as you," he teased again.<br>I stuck my tongue out at him, and turned back to polish off my breakfast. We washed up together and I packed my small over-night bag after tidying myself up.

* * *

><p>"I wish I didn't have to go," I sighed, wrapping Ezra in a tight embrace as I stood by the door.<br>"I wish you didn't either honey," he said, hugging me tightly.  
>"I'll call you," I promised.<br>"I'll be waiting," he returned.  
>I kissed him softly and turned to open the door. He handed me my bag and I stepped out into the small hallway, checking that there was no-one around. The coast was clear, so I left apartment 3b with a smile on my face, in an even better mood than when I arrived. I reached the end of the corridor and was about to turn the corner when I looked back. Ezra was standing in the open doorway, watching me with a wistful look on his face. I smiled and blew him a kiss, which he mimicked catching and tucked it into his pocket. I grinned, and walked out to my car.<p> 


	4. Sick

Chapter 4

Aria's POV

The next few weeks passed by in a rush. What with doing homework, going out with the girls or sneaking off to Ezra's apartment, I was kept busy. My relationship with Ezra was even better; we truly are soul mates. We hadn't slept together again, but it was like we understood each-other better now. We were stronger.

I was in school on Monday, on my way to my third hour Math class. I smiled at Hanna as I passed her in the hall, when a wave of nausea hit me out of the blue. I clamped my teeth together, forcing my mouth to stay shut as I tore down the hall to the girls' bathroom. I reached a stall just in time to violently throw up.

"Aria?" I heard the bathroom door open and close, and Hanna's voice calling out to me. "Aria, are you in here?"

I tried to ignore her, taking deep breaths and focusing on the cool, refreshing breeze coming through the open window.

"There you are!" She exclaimed, as she found me crouched on the floor of a stall hunched over the toilet bowl. "Oh my God, you look awful! No offence," She was quick to add.

I closed my eyes and groaned. I felt terrible, and just wanted my bed. Hanna sat down on the dirty floor beside me.

"Hey, it's okay," She crooned, as she rubbed soothing circles on my back. "It's okay, you're alright sweetie."

We sat for another five minutes, until I started to feel well enough to get up again. I put my hand down to push myself off the floor, when the nausea swept over me again. As I leaned forward and emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet once more, Hanna gathered up my hair and held it out of my face.

"Go away," I mumbled weakly. "You don't need to see this."

Hanna chuckled, but it wasn't a happy sound.

"I'm used to dealing with a bit of sick, remember? Besides, anything's worth missing chemistry," She added brightly.

I smiled. That was so Hanna. We sat for a few more minutes in silence, and Hanna braided my hair. Her cool hands were soothing; I loved the feeling of people playing with my hair.

"What do you think brought this on?" She questioned me, as she secured the braid with a bobble.

"I think I ate something," I explained. "Mike made pancakes for breakfast." I added as an afterthought.

She laughed, and the sound was comforting. "That explains it"

"I think I'm good now," I said uncertainly.

She stood up and placed her hands under my arms, helping me to my feet in a similar manner to how someone would lift a new-born. I hesitated, gauging the state I was in, before turning slowly to look at my reflection in the long line of mirrors. I groaned when I saw the state of me, and pulled at face at myself. Hanna giggled. My hair wasn't too bad, the braid Hanna had done was lovely, but my face was covered in sweat and I was an odd, unflattering shade of green.

"Attractive," Hanna teased me, with a smirk on her face.

I burst into tears. The tears caught me off guard; I wasn't expecting them. I watched my reflection as the salty droplets ran down my face and splashed onto my t-shirt and the floor. My heavy black mascara and eye-liner made thick black tracks down my face, and my foundation washed away. Hanna stared at me in shock.

"I- I didn't mean it," She rushed. "You look fine, honestly."

I shook my head.

"Don't worry, it wasn't you," I assured her.

The frown lines on her faced relaxed.

"I don't know what brought it on, I just feel horrible. I want my bed," I told her, sounding like a small child.

She laughed. "Come on; let's get you to the nurse. But first let me clean you up a bit. You really do look awful now!"

I slumped against the sink as Hanna took out a packet of wet-wipes and cleaned my face. Without the makeup, I looked as ill as I felt; and I was not a pretty sight. She rummaged through my purse to find my makeup bag, and carefully reapplied it.

"There, you look beautiful!"

I looked in the mirror, surprised at the person facing me. I looked almost normal; Hanna had done a good job. She wrapped me in a careful embrace, and kissed my cheek lightly. I smiled back, grateful that I have such good friends. Hanna linked her arm through mine and helped me stumble down the hall to the nurses' office.

We walked through the door as another kid was leaving. The nurse looked up when she heard mine and Hanna's heels echoing off the tiled floor.

"What's the matter with you, honey?" She asked in a concerned, motherly nature.

I shrugged. I guess I must have still looked pretty grim, seeing as she knew it was me who was sick; not Hanna.

"She was sick," Hanna explained. "A lot."

"Thanks for bringing her," She told Hanna. "You can go back to class now."

"Oh, but shouldn't I stay with her? I think it would be comforting," Hanna tried.

The nurse just raised her eyebrows at her, in a "You can't fool me' sort of way. Hanna sighed.

"Fine, I guess chem's almost over anyway. Get better soon sweetie." She told me, giving me a hug and a peck on the forehead.

"Thanks Han, I'll text you later."

I lay in bed watching a movie on my laptop. I was feeling far better - pretty much normal, but mom insisted that I stay in bed and not eat or drink anything but dry toast and water. She loved it when Mike or I got sick; she loved babying us. I tuned off the movie and shut down the internet, seeing as I wasn't really paying attention to it anyway. I spent a few minutes flicking through pictures of me and the girls which they keep nagging me to put on Facebook, but I never get round to it. Then I got to pictures of me and Ezra that we had taken a few weeks back. I smiled at how happy we both looked, and clicked on one to make it my computer wallpaper, but quickly thought better of it. Although it was my laptop, mom used it sometimes. She didn't go through my things so she wouldn't find the pictures, but she would see my wallpaper when she signed on.

I reached for my phone and to send a text to Ezra.

_Missing u beautiful; hope to see u this weekend. Got any plans? XO_

I went back to my laptop and opened up the latest piece of writing I'd been working on. Ezra had inspired me to pursue writing, insisting that I had a natural talent, and I was actually feeling quite good about this one. Ezra had looked over it and given me ideas, and it was coming along quite well. He was so encouraging; tell me I should do whatever I wanted to do, be what I wanted to be. It was great to have that kind of motivation in my life. I submersed myself in my writing, and was surprised when mom came up and told me it was eight already.

"How are you feeling baby?" She checked.

"I told you, I'm fine mom."

"Well, if you're sure. We left you some dinner, it's pasta bake."

"I'll be right down," I promised, closing up my laptop. The thought of food made my stomach growl, and I hopped out of bed and down the stairs.


	5. Late

**Author Note: Thanks so much for your positive reviews! Hope you enjoy the next chapter. I hope to have the next one up soon!  
>xx<strong>

Chapter 5

Aria's POV

"So have you seen what Zara McBride's wearing today?" Hanna exclaimed. "Someone with her legs should _never_ wear jeans like that!"

"Han, don't, that's so mean" Emily scolded, but I could see she was fighting back a smile. It was true, her jeans were hideous.

It was Thursday lunchtime and I was in the cafeteria line with the girls. I chose a yogurt and a cupcake, paid for my food and walked over to our usual table. I pulled my binder out of my bag and flicked to my World History notes. I had a test on the Russian revolution next class and I was freaking out. Spencer looked over my shoulder as she sat down next to me.

"Big test, huh?" She asked.

"Yeah," I grimaced. "It's worth thirty percent of my mid-term report grade."

She slid the binder across the table towards her, looking through my notes, and started to quiz me as Emily and Hanna joined us. Hanna, who was also in my history class joined in and we took it in turns to answer Spencer's questions. Before we knew it, the first bell rang, signalling it was ten minutes until lunch was over.

"Well, here goes," I sighed. "Good luck Han!"

She laughed, "By looks of our revision session there, we're both going to need all the luck in the world!"

"Tell me about," I agreed, as we dumped our trays and started out of the cafeteria. Our quiz hadn't gone well, so I wasn't feeling positive about the test.

"Can we hit the bathrooms first?" Hanna asked. "I need to fix my hair."

The four of us walked to the bathrooms and Hanna started preening herself in front of the mirror. Emily and Spencer disappeared into stalls and I touched up my makeup.

"Have one of you guys got a tampon?" Spencer called from her stall in an irritated voice.

"Here, I've got one," I said, fumbling in my bag. I found one and passed it under the stall door.

"Thanks," Spencer said gratefully.

"It's not like you to be unprepared," I commented to Spencer as her and Emily washed their hands.

"I'm not due 'til Saturday," She complained. "I'm never early!"

I laughed. It was so like Spencer to know the exact day she was due, while the rest of us usually just had a rough idea.

"Good luck with your test guys!" Emily said as the second bell rang.

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll be great," Spencer reassured us.

"Thanks you guys," I gave them a quick hug before we headed to our next classes.

We slid into our seats just as the bell rang.

"Okay, you have fifty minutes to complete the paper. No talking, no notes. Make sure you put your name and the date on the front. Any questions?" Mr Adams handed out the last paper. The class remained silent.

"You may start."

Everyone started scribbling their name and the date, then flicked open the paper. I had a quick look through it first. Seven double-sided pages, around eight marks for each question. This was going to be a long fifty minutes. As I started answering the questions, I found my mind wandering. I had a rough idea of when my period was due, but I never really thought much about it. But didn't I usually get it around the second week of each month? I flipped back to the front of my paper to check the date – November 26. I felt my pulse speed up slightly as I started to do the maths in my head. I was pretty sure I'd got my last period on October 12. Ezra and I had sex on October 30. My next period was due around November 12; I was roughly two weeks late.

I found myself unable to concentrate for the rest of the test. I kept doing and re-doing the sums in my head, until I felt like I would explode. I didn't want to admit it to myself, like if I thought the words it would somehow be true, but it was all adding up in my head. The sickness, the crying, the late period. I tapped my pencil on the desk in a constant rhythm until I noticed people glaring at me. I glanced around and saw people coming to the end of the test, and I check the clock to see we had teen minutes left. I started writing furiously, but when the bell rang I was only on page eleven. I sighed as I handed in my paper, hoping for at least a pass.

"That wasn't actually too bad, was it?" Hanna asked, coming up behind me.

I heard her words, but I wasn't really able to register what she was saying. My mind was working in slow motion.

"Aria? Aria, are you listening to me?" Hanna snapped her fingers in front of my face.

"Sorry, eh, what did you say?" I asked her.

"Um, never mind. Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." She watched me anxiously.

"You know what? I don't actually feel so great." I said quickly. "I think I'm just going to head home, go to bed for a while."

"Yeah, good idea. Do you need a hand? I could walk you out to your car?"

"No, I'll be okay. I'll, eh, tell the girls I've gone home? I'll talk to you later."

I spun on my heel and walked away, leaving Hanna looking after me in confusion. I went to reception to sign out, and the women behind the desk looked at me in concern.

"Do you need a hand out to your car, honey?" She checked. "You don't look too perky."

"I'll be fine, thanks," I told her.

I reached my car and collapsed into the driver's seat. I could feel myself shaking and I was starting to hyperventilate. Surprisingly, tears sprung to my eyes, but I forced myself to stay calm and not cry. Taking a deep, shaky breath, I started the car. I knew where I was going, but once I was parked in the lot, it took me ten minutes to work up the courage to get out of the car. I walked through the doors to the pharmacy and straight to the 'Mother and Baby' section. I stared at all the different packets in front of me, not sure which one to choose. In the end, I just grabbed a pack of two and walked up to the counter. I felt like everyone was looking at me, judging me, even though in reality there were only about two other people in the shop, and they were pretty much oblivious to me. I kept my eyes down as I paid for the tests, and I could feel my cheeks burning scarlet. After what felt like a lifetime, I all but ran back to the privacy of my car.

When I reached my house, I checked for mom and dad's cars, and I was relieved to find they weren't there. Even still, I opened the front door as silently as I could, the pharmacy bag concealed in my school bag, and made sure there was no-one else home. Once I was sure I was alone, I ran up to the bathroom to take the test. I took the instruction leaflet out of the packet and read it through carefully. My hands were shaking so bad that I had to set it down to be able to read it. Then, I took the tests and set them down on a flat surface for ten minutes, like the leaflet instructed. Those ten minutes felt like the longest of my entire life. I paced the bathroom anxiously, checking the clock every few seconds until the time was up. When it finally showed that my time was up, I walked slowly to the side of the bath where I had set them. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and picked up the first test.

"This is it," I thought to myself. "Here goes." I stood statue still, unable to open my eyes.

"For God's sake Aria, just do it already!" I spoke the words out loud, trying to talk myself into it.

Unable to bring myself to look, I grabbed the two sticks, threw them in the bag with the packaging and ran out of the house. I checked the digital display on the clock in the car. It was a quarter to five; if I was lucky, Ezra would be home by now. I drove to his apartment with my heart racing, mentally cursing myself for being such a coward. I knocked on the door; three loud, urgent knocks. He came to the door quickly, much to my relief.

"Aria. What are you doing here?" He asked in confusion. "I thought we were seeing each other tomorrow night?"

I stared at him, my eyes welling up with tears, unable to speak.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He asked softly. "Come in and sit down."

He took me by the hand and led me over to the sofa and sat down. I just stared at him, still on my feet.

"Aria, what's wrong? You're scaring me."

I took a deep breath and revealed the small paper bag from behind my back. He stared at me in confusion, his brow furrowing. I thrust the bag towards him.

"Is this what I think it is?" He asked slowly.

I nodded, tears dripping down my face and splashing onto my cardigan.

He gulped. "Did you take it yet?"

I nodded again.

"And?"

I shook my head, finding my voice again. "I don't know Ezra, I can't do it. I can't look. I can't!" I exploded.

"Hey, it's okay," He walked over to me and embraced me, rubbing my arms with his large hands. "You want me to look?"

I nodded and handed him the paper bag.

"Here goes," He said.


	6. Complications

**Author Note: Just a quick update- enjoy! And thanks for all the reviews! :)**

**xo**

Chapter six

Aria's POV

"Aria, I don't understand. We used a condom. How can this have happened? I don't get it," Ezra sat across the room from me; him on the arm chair and me on the sofa. As he spoke, he was turning the little stick over in his hands.

"I don't understand either, Ezra."

"Ninety nine percent safe, and we have to be that one percent," He shook his head. "Well, this complicates things."

"That's an understatement," I laughed humourlessly.

Ezra got up and crossed the small room to sit beside me. He put his arm around me and I leaned in, feeling instantly better at his touch. When he held me, I felt safe. Unfortunately, I knew that couldn't last. I took the stick out of his hands and stared at the tiny window. _Pregnant, 2-3 weeks_. The other test that was lying in the bag said the same thing, I was definitely pregnant.

"Ezra, what are we going to do?" I whispered. I could feel tears threatening beneath the surface again.

"I don't know babygirl," He replied softly.

The word baby sent a shiver of thrill through me. I didn't know what to think of this. My brain was working on overload, and I was feeling so many emotions at once that I didn't know how to process them. Obviously, there was the fact that I was only seventeen. How on earth was I supposed to raise a baby at seventeen? And what would people think of me? I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without being judged. I wouldn't be able to go to university, unless I had someone to support me. Then, there were the complications. Ezra was my teacher. How was I supposed to explain that I was pregnant, when people didn't even know I was in a relationship? It was illegal, for crying out loud! But even with all the problems, the thought of a _baby_, a tiny little Ezra running around the place, laughing from my arms, smiling at me, created a warm, fuzzy feeling inside me. It was everything I wanted, a family with Ezra, within my sight. The circumstances were just… complicated.

"Aria, please don't get me wrong here, and don't be offended, but do you want… do you want to keep it?" He asked hesitantly.

I squeezed his hand. Even though his question was totally rational, the thought of giving up the baby shocked me. I could never do that, even given the circumstances. However, I tried not to let any of the shock show in my voice when I answered.

"No Ezra, I could never do that," I replied softly. "It's just not right."

"No, I didn't mean that. I would never ask you to do that, or even consider it."

I was relieved. I didn't think it was very characteristic of him, but you never know how you're going to react in a certain situation until you're in it, so I had been willing to overlook it.

"What I meant was, there's always adoption. How would you feel about that?"

I blinked at him.

"I'm sorry darling," He hugged me close to him. "I'm not being fair. I know it's too much to think about right now. I just want what's best for you."

I smiled at him weakly. "I know, it's just a lot to think about. I'll, I'll give it some thought."

To be honest, I _had_ given it thought. Since the very second I'd had an inkling that I might be pregnant, I'd thought of nothing else. And every time I thought of it, the same beautiful picture filled my mind, and I wanted it so bad. I couldn't even put it into words, so I didn't, I kept my opinions to myself. I was also afraid of scaring Ezra; he didn't seem overly opposed to the idea of a baby, but if he knew how much I suddenly wanted one it might scare him off. So I decided it was better to keep quiet and think things through rationally when I was alone and calmed down.

"We'll get through this Aria, I'll support you no matter what." And I didn't doubt him; the sincerity of his tone told me he was being honest.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much that means."

I lay back against the back of the sofa, and slowly, almost afraid, Ezra stretched out his arm and laid it against my flat stomach. I closed my eyes and smiled, and put my own hand on top of his. It felt right; like we were already a family. He kissed my forehead softly and I gave him a hug, before getting to my feet.

"I think I'm going to go home now," I announced.

"Are you sure? Can I do anything for you? You could stay?" He said hopefully.

"Nah, I should head home. Thanks, though."

"So, are you going to… tell anyone?"

I could see what he was getting at.

"I think it might be best if we kept this between you and me for now, don't you think?" I asked.

"That's probably best. Call me if you need anything, or come over. You're always welcome here, you know. Anytime," He promised.

"Thank you," I replied wholeheartedly.

I walked over to the counter and slipped the stick I was holding into the paper bag.

"Could you, would you maybe be able to keep these?" I asked unsurely, handing him the bag. "As a memento? I'd take them home but, well, that probably wouldn't be very smart." I waited anxiously for his response.

"You're right," He smiled knowingly, taking the bag from me. "That wouldn't end well. Of course I'll keep them baby, you don't need to look so scared!"

I breathed a sigh of relief, and turned on my heel to leave. I grabbed my purse and opened the door when Ezra grabbed my wrist and spun me back round to face him. He looked into my eyes.

"Aria, we _will_ get through this. Nothing's changed between us, honestly. I'm here for you."

I felt my eyes welling up with tears again.

"Thank you."

He put his hand under my chin and titled my face up to his. I kissed him passionately, wrapping my arms around him and locking my hands behind his neck. He put one hand one the small of my back and the other cupped lightly round my cheek, as he reciprocated. I lost myself in the moment, the only thing I was thinking of was our lips moving together, and how much I loved him. Eventually, but still too soon, we broke apart. He put laid his hands tenderly on my stomach once more, before I turned and walked out to my car.


	7. The Truth

**Author Note: Thanks so much for the reviews guys! Each and every one of them means so much to me:)  
>Shorttie xo<strong>

Chapter 7

Aria's POV

I crouched over the toilet, holding my hair back from my face and throwing up. When I was done, I slumped back against the bath and took deep, calming breaths. The reality that this was something I would have to get used to over the next few months was a depressing one. I got to my feet and walked to the open window. I stuck my face out of it and the fresh air soothed me. However, my breath respite was ended when I felt the taste of sick in my mouth once more. I moaned loudly, feeling sorry for myself, and flew back to the toilet. Once my stomach was empty, I flopped back onto the floor and lay sprawled out on my back. I put my hands on my stomach and rubbed it in soothing circles.

"Aria?" I heard my mom calling me from the hallway and realised too late that I'd left the door open. Shit.

I attempted to sit up carefully, and plastered a fake smile on my face.

"Yeah?" I cringed internally at how off my voice sounded.

"What's the matter sweetie?" Mom asked, concerned. She stepped into the bathroom. "How long have you been like this?"

"Oh, I'm fine, I think I must have eaten something bad," I replied casually, struggling to keep my voice light.

"Can I get you anything?" Her brow creased with worry as she sat down beside me. She put her arm around me and stroked my hair, planting a kiss on my sweaty forehead.

"No, I'll be fine," I lied. "Just leave me to it."

She raised her eyebrows at me.

"Honestly, I'll be right as rain in no time at all!" I prayed that she wouldn't see straight through my false promise.

"If you're sure," She said uncertainly, getting to her feet. "Shout if you need anything."

"Will do!" I lied again.

As soon as the door shut behind her, I flopped down to the ground again.

* * *

><p><em>Hope everything's alright babygirl. Ring me if you need to talk XO<em>

I sighed and locked my phone, and threw myself down on my bed. It was the fourth text from Ezra since I'd seen him two days ago. I'd managed to make it through school on Friday, almost as if I was in a daze, but I'd gone to bed as soon as I got home, and the only times I'd been out of bed since then were to eat, go to the bathroom or be sick. I felt like I was going through the motions of life, but not really living them. To say I was in a daze would be an understatement; I knew, more than anything, that I wanted this baby. Our baby. But I didn't know how to deal with that. How could I tell people? How would they react? Would Ezra feel the same way? The questions were endless, and I didn't have the strength to work through them all. So I grabbed my iPod and shoved in my earbuds, ignoring the world as the salty tears started dripping down my face. The sobs wrenched through me, and I could feel myself getting more and more worked up as I let the emotions I'd been keeping bottled up loose. I buried my face in my duvet to drown out the sound.

"Aria? What's wrong baby?" I felt my mom place her hand on my back, alerting me to her presence.

Slowly, carefully, I turned round and removed my earbuds. The look on moms face was one of worry and an invitation to talk. I stared at her wordlessly, trying to figure out what the right thing to do was, as she sat down beside me.

"Mom," I choked out.

She wrapped me in her arms and squeezed me tightly, and I hugged her back, welcoming the protection she offered.

"What is it, Sweetie? School? Boy trouble? You can tell me."

"Mom, you know how you always said to me and Mike when we were kids that if we had a problem we could talk to you about it? Even if we thought you wouldn't approve, we should tell you anyway? And that you would try your best to help us?" I paused, surprised at my words, and anxious at the path our conversation was taking.

"Yes?" The reply was slow, uncertain.

"I have a problem," Tears streamed down my face, but I forced myself to concentrate on the matter in hand, carefully gauging my mom's reaction.

"What is it, honey? You know I'll try to help you."

I hid my face in my duvet and mumbled the words, too afraid to show my face.

"I didn't quite catch that baby."

I straightened up and cleared my throat, and looked my mom directly in the eye.

"I'm pregnant."

Mom stared at me uncomprehendingly. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but she furrowed her brow and closed it again.

"I'm sorry?" She eventually managed.

"I'm pregnant," I repeated clearly. The words rang out loudly in the quiet house, but I resisted the urge to flinch away from them. My calm exterior surprised me, I sounded calm and in control, concealing the fear and guilt raged inside me. I hadn't planned on telling her, the words just escaped.

A new expression crossed my mother's face; sorrow and understanding.

She lowered her voice even though there was no one in the house to hear us. "Were you raped honey?" I met her concern filled eyes, processing this new suggestion.

"Sushh, it's okay." She pulled me back into an embrace as she spoke.

Much and all as I wanted to stay wrapped in her arms, I pulled back, determined to tell her the truth.

"No Mom, I wasn't raped." I told her.

She sat back in confusion.

"What are you saying?" She asked.

"I'm saying I had sex. Yes, it may have been stupid and irresponsible, but I don't regret it. I love him, Mom," I finished, my emotions pouring out.

"Love who, Aria? You're not in a relationship."

_Deep breaths Aria, deep breaths_, I reminded myself.

"I- I am Mom," I admitted in a small voice, staring at my hands.

"With who?"

I hesitated, fiddling with a bracelet on my wrist.

"Aria, look at me. Who are you in a relationship with?" Her voice was rising, and it was filled with a steely determination.

"I can't tell you," I whispered in exasperation, fresh tears spilling from my eyes.

I peeked up from under my lashes, and I could see and feel the disapproval radiating from the woman across from me.

"I can't believe this Aria." She snapped, staring at me incredulously. "I, I'm going to sit down."

Without a further word, my mother pushed herself off my bed and marched from the room.


	8. Sparks Fly

**Author Note: Hi guys! I'm SO sorry for the amount of time it's taken me to update, seriously, I never thought I'd be one of those people that take this long. I'm not going to try and make excuses, because honestly I don't have one. But I'm sorry, *spoken like Ezra in the car in 110*: "forgive me";) I kind of regretted the last chapter after reading over it, I don't like the way it turned out, but I'll just have to deal with that:/ So I hope you enjoy this one, I actually quite like it!:) It picks up right after where the other left off.  
>Thank you so much for your support, it means the world:)<br>Shorttie xo**

Chapter 8

Aria's POV

I crept down the stairs as silently as possible, avoiding all the creaks. As soon as I had twisted the key quietly in the lock and slowly prised the door open, I threw myself into Ezra's arms, and he wrapped them tightly round me. I breathed in his familiar smell whilst he rubbed gentle circles on the small of my back.

"I got your text; I got here as soon as I could. It's okay, I've got you," He whispered to me into my hair, between constant kisses on the top of my head. "You're alright now."

When the kisses subsided, I stepped back and looked into his deep, ocean-blue eyes. They were filled with reassuring love, and a warmth that made my knees go weak. I took his hand in mine and spun round, to find my mother descending the stairs; she was on the third one down. I instantly dropped Ezra's hand and we took a subtle step apart before she saw our closeness. Confusion crossed mom's face as she noticed me standing with Ezra by the front door.

"Ezra?" She questioned. "What are you doing here?"

An awkward silence filled the room.

She continued down the stairs and deposited the pile of laundry she was carrying on the floor.

Ezra cleared his throat.

"Mrs Montgomery. It's, um, nice to see you again." He addressed her hesitantly.

"You too," Was her suspicious response. "Aria?"

She turned to me and waited for an answer.

"Mom, I, uh, when's dad going to be home?"

"In around five minutes. The softball game ended fifteen minutes ago and he's just stopping to leave Mike round at Jacob's. Why?"

"Can I get you anything, E- Mr Fitz?" I turned to Ezra, avoiding Mom's question. "Coffee, Mom?"

"I'm good thanks," She crossed the room and sat on the sofa, her eyes staying trained on Ezra and I, still by the threshold.

"Nothing for me either, thanks," Ezra replied.

"Aria, I asked you a question. What's going on here?"

I could feel my heart beating as my pulse accelerated to far beyond what could be considered healthy. My palms were sweating and my eyes were starting to water; something that always happened to me when I felt uncomfortable.

"I'll go and make coffee," I announced, regardless of the fact the offer had been declined. I was anxious to escape the stiflingly tense atmosphere in the room.

"I'll make it," Mom told me, and she swept from the room.

The breath I didn't even realise I'd been holding rushed out from my lungs in a relieved sigh. As soon as I heard the kitchen door close, I turned back into Ezra's arms. He wrapped them tightly around me and we shuffled together to the arm-chair, while I kept my face hidden against his toned, muscular chest. I sat on his knee and listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart, counting the beats and breathing in time with them to try to stop me from hyperventilating.

"Ezra I can't do this," I whispered to him.

"You can baby, you can. It'll be okay, I'm right here."

"I can't. You don't understand. She was horrified when I told her I'm pregnant, I could tell even though she tried to hide it. If she knows it's yours she'll disown me," I panicked.

"Aria, your mother is a good woman. She's obviously just… _surprised_; this would come as a shock to any parent. If it helps, I can tell them for you?"

"You would do that for me?"

"I would do anything for you, Aria Montgomery. You are my everything."

"I love you."

Slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on me, he leaned in and took my face tenderly in his hand. When our lips connected, I forgot everything; the circumstances, the time, the place. The only thing that mattered was the two of us, right there, right then. I felt like everything was okay, and it was the best feeling in the whole world.

"What the _hell_ is this?" Byron Montgomery spat from the front door.

We sprang apart faster than if lightening had struck right in front of us.

"I was just about to ask the same thing." Mom was standing in the kitchen doorway, a tray of tea and coffee in her hands. The look of betrayal that was evident on her face tore my heart in two. I wasn't sure how much she'd seen, but it was clearly more than enough.

I looked back to the front door where my father was standing with his brief case in one hand, the other still on the door handle. His face was a cross between confusion and disgust.

I felt like a deer stuck in headlights. My instincts were telling me to get out, but the rational, thinking part of my brain pleaded for me to stay and try and sort things out. In the end, my instincts won. However, as soon as I was on my feet I felt a hand gripping my wrist. I turned back to see Ezra silently signalling for me to stay. He tugged lightly on my arm and I flopped back into the chair again. Ezra cleared his throat and stood up.

"Ella, Byron, I want to clarify something… _we_ want to tell you something important."

I sat frozen with fear and watched as my parents crossed the room and sat down on the sofa next to each other. They watched Ezra expectantly.

"I'm in love with your daughter."

Ezra's words rang out and echoed through the otherwise silent house. It was as if time stood still, no-one spoke, no-one even moved. I decided to be the first. I felt as if I was walking across a stage in front of thousands of people as I completed the few short steps to Ezra's side. I could feel my parent's eyes boring into me as I stretched out my hand and slipped it into Ezra's. Even given the situation, the feeling when our skin touched was enough to make sparks fly.

I could see the realisation slowly dawning on mom's face, mixed with horror, while my father was still in the dark.

"What are you saying?" Byron asked. "I don't understand."

"Oh I understand. It's perfectly clear what you're saying." Mom hissed. "What I _don't _understand is how you have the audacity to stand in front of me and my husband in _our_ living room, _holding_ _my daughter's hand_ given the fact that you've knocked her up."

"She _what_?" Dad choked.

"Oh you heard right. She's having his baby. I don't even recognise you Ezra." Mom replied.

She turned to face me, and the expression 'if looks could kill' sprung to mind. "I don't recognise you either, Aria."

"Mom!" I could feel my eyes welling up, and already the tears were starting to spill down my cheeks. I never thought she would react well, but I didn't think she's react like this either. The words cut a whole deep inside my heart.

**Sorry for any typos!**


	9. Reflection

**Author Note: Hi guys! Sorry it's not great:/ But enjoy and review; criticism welcome!  
>Shorttie xo<strong>

Aria's POV

"Aria, do you not think you should pick up? That's the eighth time; you can't avoid them forever," Ezra tried to reason with me.

"I can do what I want," I replied stubbornly, while listening to "Just A Kiss" play through Ezra's apartment for the eighth time in the last hour.

"Freezing them out won't do anyone any good honey, you know that."

"I don't care Ezra," I cried, soaking his shirt with my salty tears. We were lying on his bed, my head on his chest and his arms around me, the same way we had been since we arrived. "I actually can't believe she said those things. She's supposed to love me, she's my mother!"

"I know darling, I know," He hugged me close to him and kissed the top of head.

We resumed the easy silence we'd had going on, giving each of us the opportunity to think things over. There were few thoughts in my head, mainly just one which had been stuck on replay for far too long; the words from my mother and father and the looks on their faces as I'd walked out of my home.

"_I don't recognise you either, Aria."_

"_Mom!"_

"_She's. Pregnant." My father said the words out loud as if trying to get a flavour of them in his mouth. "Pregnant."_

"_I'm sorry dad," I whispered._

"'_Sorry'," He laughed humourlessly, repeating my apology._

"_What happened to my baby girl?" Mom asked no-one in particular._

"_I fell in love Mom," I said to the ground, not daring to meet her eye. The tears were flowing freely down my face._

"_DON'T," She told me in a steely voice. "Do NOT talk about him like that."_

"_Love? He was your bloody teacher Aria, it's not love," My father ridiculed me._

"_Mom, Dad. I love him, I really do," I tried to reason. _

"_And what do you have to say for yourself?" Dad turned to Ezra, full of fury. "She is sixteen."_

"_I would apologize, but I feel like that would be apologizing for loving Aria, and I'm not sorry for that. However, I am sorry for putting you in this position; obviously I never intended to get her pregnant. But I promise I'll be there to support her one hundred percent. I'll always be here for her," I watched with my heart in my mouth as Ezra tried to calm down my fuming parents._

"_Damn right you will. But just keep this in mind; if it wasn't for this baby, you would be getting the hell out of Rosewood, with an orange jumpsuit if I had anything to do with it, as soon as physically possible. But you're going to support this baby, and you will never do anything to hurt my family again," By the time my father finished, his face was flushed with rage, and I could see his clenched fists twitching, obviously he wanted to get his hands on Ezra._

"_Dad please, stop," I begged. "It wasn't Ezra's fault."_

"_Oh yeah? So whose fault was it, Aria? It's not exactly as if a stork arrived with a little bundle of joy."_

"_It wasn't anyone's fault, Dad. It just happened."_

"_It didn't 'just happen', you slept with him you little slut."_

_The words were like a slap in the face._

"_Byron," Mom jumped in, a warning clear in her voice. "Don't talk to Aria like that!"_

"_Don't tell me what to do in my own house," He snapped back._

"_Then watch your tongue around our daughter," She scolded._

"_The hell I will!" He spat. "She should learn to keep her legs closed."_

"_C'mon Ezra," I announced, tugging on his hand. "Let's go."_

_Without another word to my parents, I led him to the front door and we left, my parents' argument still raging on. With every step I took, the words seemed to get louder rather than quieter. They echoed around in my head like a swarm of angry wasps. _Slut. I don't recognise you. It's not love._ I glanced over my shoulder at the front window, to see my parents staring out at me, momentarily distracted from their row. Both their faces read similar things; shock, hurt, betrayal, and disgust._

* * *

><p>Lyin' here with you so close to me<p>

It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe,

I'm caught up in this moment

Caught up in your smile

"Hi, Aria's phone" I heard Ezra's voice ringing out.

I shot up and turned to face him, full of shock.

"_What the hell_?" I mouthed furiously.

He just shook his head at me. I could make out from the muffled sound coming from my phone that it was Mom on the other line.

"Yes, she's here with me… At my apartment, yes she's okay… Yeah, I can do that… Okay, we'll see you soon."

"How dare you answer my phone!" I shrieked as soon as he'd hung up. "You had no right to do that! And what do you mean 'we'll see you soon'?"

"Aria, if I had to hear that song one more time, I swear I would've exploded," he apologized.

"And?" I fumed.

"And what?" He asked, a confused expression on his face.

"What do you mean 'we'll see you soon'?" I demanded.

"Oh yeah, um, your mom kind of wanted us to go round to talk to them," he explained, his voice softening and his expression turning to a mix of guilt and hope. "She said she's sorry."

"And that's it? So she said she's sorry and I should just forgive her? It'll all be sunshine and rainbows again? It doesn't work like that. She should've thought of the consequences before she opened her mouth!"

"I know darling, I know," he soothed, rubbing my back. "But that's why we're going to go round and try and sort this out."

"When are we going?" I asked grudgingly.

He got to his feet and put an arm out to help me up. "She said we can come round now."


End file.
